Boxer Ben makes generous donation to shoebox appeal
An Olympic medallist and Black Country sporting star has made a generous donation to help a city charity.
Boxer Ben Whittaker has made a major contribution to Wolves Foundation to aid with the charity’s annual shoebox appeal.
Darlaston-born Whittaker’s donation, with the help of his sponsors S&R Construction, has enabled around 125 shoeboxes to be delivered to a number of community organisations across Wolverhampton.
The appeal, delivered by Wolves Foundation every December, aims to provide gifts and essential items to be distributed to families in need.
Whittaker gained national attention on the way to winning a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, famously stating ‘I want to become the Mayor of Wolverhampton’.
Since joining the pro ranks in 2022, the 26-year-old light-heavyweight remains undefeated after five fights, winning his latest bout earlier this month via fourth-round knockout.
Ben Whittaker said: “I come from a place where my mum and dad both worked two jobs and Christmas wasn’t always the best. If you can brighten up someone’s day why not?
“I used to work here in the South Bank and now I’m in a position where I can come back and give back, especially in my area.”
Ryan Sankey, from S&R Construction said: “Myself and everyone else at S&R are extremely happy to be supporting the Wolves Foundation.
“When Ben asked us if we wanted to help out we jumped at the chance. It’s great to see a campaign like this helping families in what can be a very tough time of year.”
“We look forward to doing more to support in the future.”
Wolves Foundation have already distributed over 500 shoeboxes to eight local charities and organisations, and are now able to provide even more gifts after Whittaker’s donation to the campaign.
Tom Warren, Senior Manager for Projects at Wolves Foundation said: “We were delighted when Ben got in touch with us about coming back to his roots to support the city through the Foundation.
“Christmas is a great time of year but can also be a difficult one for many. Thanks to Ben and his sponsors we’re now able to expand our support across the community over the festive period.
“It’s been a pleasure linking up someone who is clearly proud to be from Wolverhampton, and passionate about giving back too. We’re excited about the prospect of working together again in future.”
